Ontario is joining five other provinces to defy Ottawa's refugee health cuts, saying it will reinstate basic and urgent coverage for claimants.

Hundreds of medical professionals and supporter gathered outside the Citizenship and Immigration Offices at Yonge and St. Clair in June to protest the federal government's cuts to refugee health care. Ontario says it will reinstate essential and urgent coverage for claimants through a new temporary health program.

Ontario is joining five other provinces to defy the federal government’s refugee health cuts, saying it will reinstate essential and urgent coverage for claimants through a new temporary health program.

The new health program for refugees will cover hospital, primary, specialist, laboratory and diagnostic services and take effect on Jan. 1, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews said Monday.

“Since the federal health cuts a year and a half ago, we have seen pregnant women turned away from prenatal care and sick children denied treatment. Cancer patients are told they are not covered for chemotherapy,” said Dr. Phillip Berger of the Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care.

“This government has been the most hostile and vicious to refugees since the Second World War. We are grateful for the new provincial health program.”

However, the Ontario government’s decision to join the other provinces in defying Ottawa is the most significant because 48,900 — or 55 per cent — of all refugee claimants live in the province.

Last year, Ottawa amended the interim federal health program to reduce coverage for most refugees and discontinue basic care to asylum seekers from so-called “safe countries, failed refugees and others sponsored by community groups such as churches to resettle here from overseas camps.

The federal government said the cuts could save taxpayers $100 million over five years and genuine refugees continue to receive comprehensive health care coverage on par with what Canadians receive.

“Canadians have been clear that they do not want failed asylum claimants and asylum claimants from safe countries receiving better health-care benefits than Canadian taxpayers,” Alexis Pavlich, spokesperson for Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, said in an email.

“Our government listened and acted with regard to Canadian taxpayers’ concerns on this issue, and we remain committed in our effort to preserve the integrity of our immigration system.”

Matthews said the new coverage will help reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and stress on health providers.

“We will continue to call on the federal government to reinstate the federal program providing all refugee claimants health-care coverage,” Matthews said in a statement. “In the meantime, we will send the federal government the bill to pay back what they owe.”

It’s not known if Ottawa would cover the tab but Pavlich said Ottawa has increased provincial transfer payments to provinces, and provincial jurisdiction in health-care services allows each province to decide which services it will or will not provide to whom.

According to Ontario health officials, almost one-third of refugee claimants are without health coverage as a result of the cuts.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.